The present invention is directed to formulations and methods for administering pharmacologically or biologically active compounds. In one embodiment, pharmacologically active compounds may be administered to vertebrates by diluting the formulation in the drinking water of the vertebrate. In a preferred embodiment the formulations may contain ivermectin or another parasiticide, and may be diluted in the drinking water of poultry for the treatment of a parasitic infection. The formulations and methods are useful for treating roundworms, cecal worms, lice, ticks, capillarial worms, and mite infections in poultry or other vertebrates.
In another embodiment, the pharmacologically active or biologically active compound may be a compound of agricultural interest which is administered to plants or soil surfaces by diluting the formulation in water and topically applying the diluted formulation to the plant or soil surface. In various embodiments the formulations may also be topically applied to animals.
Parasitic infections are common problems in a variety of vertebrates, including cattle, horses, swine, sheep, goats, and fowl. Various parasitic infections are also problematic in companion animals such as dogs and cats.
Chickens and other fowl are known to suffer from a variety of parasitic infections. Roundworms, cecal worms, capillarial worms, lice, ticks, and mites are among the common parasites which may be associated with fowl and exact a substantial economic cost from the producers of fowl each year as well as raise health issues regarding the safety of the food supply.
Common methods of eliminating these parasites from fowl include the administration of piperazine to the drinking water or feed of animals. This method has had limited success due to the limited effectiveness of piperazine against these parasites. Treatment with tramisol has had somewhat better success but its use is limited by its very high cost. Therefore, animal caretakers are still in need of a cost-effective, efficacious method of eliminating these parasites.
Various useful pesticides exist which are either immiscible or unstable in aqueous solutions, making it impossible or impractible to dissolve these compounds in water for a spray-on application to crops or animals. Thus, the agriculture industry has been unable to utilize these pesticides with the ease of application and low cost which could be associated with the compounds if they could be simply dissolved in water and sprayed onto the plants, animals, ground surfaces to be treated, or applied directly to the insects to be treated.
The present invention provides non-aqueous compositions which comprise a pharmacologically or biologically active compound, an emulsifier, a polyol, and benzyl alcohol. The compositions are useful for administering the pharmacologically or biologically active compounds which they contain to animals, plants, or ground surfaces. In preferred embodiments, the pharmacologically or biologically active compounds may be water-insoluble or water-labile. The present invention provides methods and compositions in which these compounds can be solubilized and conveniently transported to a site of application in a non-aqueous form, and then diluted in an aqueous solution. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the compound is ivermectin and is administered in the drinking water of poultry. The compositions of the present invention may also contain one or more pharmacologically or biologically active compounds.
The present invention also provides methods of administering the compounds. In the most preferred embodiment, the compounds may be administered in the drinking water of poultry to be treated with the pharmacologically or biologically active compound. In other embodiments, the compositions may be topically applied to the animals or plants to be treated, or directly onto plants, animals, or a ground surface to be treated with the active compounds.